Trump may bluster but James Mattis is calling the shots on Syria | Simon Tisdall

The US defence secretary has remained focused on targeting chemical weapons

It was Jim Mattis who saved the day. The US defence secretary, Pentagon chief and retired Marine general has a reputation for toughness. His former nickname was “Mad Dog”. When push came to shove over Syria last week, it was Mattis – not the state department or Congress – who stood up to a Donald Trump baying for blood.

Mattis told Trump, in effect, that the third world war was not going to start on his watch.